Although recent natural disasters and the current political climate might make you wish the world would catch fire, on this day in 1613, the Globe actually did burn down. That's the Globe Theater, of course, built by William Shakespeare's acting company in 1599. It had seating for about 1,000 and had standing room for another 2,000. Those standing on the ground were considered "groundlings," a term I plan to incorporate in my daily vocabulary, likely directed toward my offspring.